Blizzard Entertainment has announced that Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 have been delayed without a clear release period.
They cite that both games need extra time in development to be brought to a higher quality of standard.
“While we are still planning to deliver a substantial amount of content from Blizzard next year, we are now planning for a later launch for Overwatch 2 and Diablo IV than originally envisaged,” Activision Blizzard said on to Polygon.
“These are two of the most eagerly anticipated titles in the industry, and our teams have made great strides towards completion in recent quarters. But we believe giving the teams some extra time to complete production and continue growing their creative resources to support the titles after launch will ensure that these releases delight and engage their communities for many years into the future.”
While the company has not confirmed a connection, the Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 have been delayed following the recent lawsuit Blizzard received from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing following allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination enabled by Blizzard’s higher-ups.
While they are not officially connected to the lawsuit, many of Blizzard’s senior staff involved in the allegations have exited from the company including Diablo IV’s director, who was only recently replaced this October. Overwatch has likewise seen the original game’s director and executive director leave. These exits would likely have a large effect on both games’ development.
Both games were announced at Blizzcon 2019 with little heard from either since. Diablo recently saw a remaster of Diablo 2, named Diablo 2: Resurrected for modern consoles though.
Diablo IV and Overwatch 2 will release for PC, Xbox Series X, and PS5 sometime in the future.